Doubt - No 39

Magazine Overview

This is the cover page of "DOUBT The Fortean Society Magazine", Volume II, Whole Number 39, dated 1931 AD. The magazine is edited by Tiffany Thayer and is priced at 35c in the USA and 2/- in Great Britain. The cover prominently features a quote attributed to Emerson: "Science does not know its debt to imagination". Accompanying this is an illustration by Art Castillo, described as 'FIRST OF A SERIES', depicting a fantastical machine labeled 'SCIENCE-STRUGGLING-EVER UPWARD-TOWARDS-THE-STARS'.

Content Highlights (Based on available OCR)

The scanned pages reveal a collection of news items, observations, and short articles that align with the Fortean Society's interest in unexplained phenomena and curious events. The content is diverse, ranging from reports on scientific advancements and their implications to peculiar incidents and societal commentary.

Science and Imagination

The cover's emphasis on the debt of science to imagination sets a tone for the issue. Several articles explore this theme indirectly by presenting events that challenge conventional scientific understanding or highlight the unusual.

Economic and Societal Observations

An article discusses the economic rationale behind ensuring passenger safety, suggesting it's better to avoid frightening passengers than to have them arrive distressed, even if it means a fatal accident. Another piece touches upon the challenges of packaging and sealing atomic materials, referencing Paul Colsmann of Brookhaven National Laboratory and the long-term hazards associated with them.

Incidents and Anomalies

A significant portion of the content consists of brief reports on various incidents:

• Explosives and Hazards: Reports detail incidents involving high explosives, including those jettisoned at sea near Jones Beach and the discovery of a pear-shaped object that exploded off Block Island. There are also mentions of bombs washing ashore on Ayrshire beaches and ongoing dumping of surplus ammunition.
• Unusual Events: A 3-pound piece of metal reportedly ripped through a house in Oakland. A park attendant in Oklahoma found a large nickel-iron meteorite. In Philadelphia, a "mighty mystery shock" was heard and felt, described like a subway train. Other reports include a "violent explosion" in the Channel Islands and a rocking event at Rocky Point, Long Island.
• Animal and Environmental Anomalies: A report from Capetown, South Africa, notes the death of thousands of penguins due to oil clogging their feathers, with the source of the oil being unknown. A story from Missoula, Montana, describes birds flying into a house and killing themselves, attributed to intoxication from frozen mountain ash berries.
• Medical and Scientific Curiosities: The issue discusses the antibiotic Chloromycetin, noting both its approved use in the US and reports of serious blood disorders and deaths associated with it in the UK and US. There's also a mention of a research institution director who died after testing a new drug on himself.
• Civil Defense and Public Apathy: Several short pieces highlight the lack of public interest in Civil Defense efforts in both England and the United States, with resignations and low volunteer numbers being reported.

Specific Articles and Sections

• "GOOD OLD CHLOROMYCETIN": Discusses the antibiotic Chloromycetin and its reported side effects and approved usage.
• "SEARCH FOR THE FREE PRESS": An editorial exchange with Herb Hames, managing editor of the Ottawa, Ill., Republican-Times, who decided to stop printing "flying saucer" stories.
• "BANGS": A collection of reports on various explosions and loud noises heard or felt in different locations.
• "MARITIME FORTEANA": An advertisement for "Deep Sea Digest", a publication for sea enthusiasts.
• "WE PAID FOR GERMS": A commentary on the controversy surrounding the use of germs in warfare, questioning why such experiments would be conducted if not intended for use.
• "RUSSELL'S BEST": Features a quote from Dr. Joseph Needham, who was convinced that America had directed bacteriological attacks against North Korea and China.
• "WIND AROUND TOMBS": Reports on unusual phenomena involving tombstones and dust at a cemetery in Perthshire, Scotland.
• "LAND OF THE FREE": A brief mention of a case in Jacksonville, Florida, involving a tobacco-smoking baby.
• "STATIONARY METEORS": An excerpt from Burritt's "Geography of the Heavens" describing a meteor shower in 1833, with detailed observations of stationary meteors and luminous objects.
• "SUDS IN SUSSEX": Describes a phenomenon where the River Arun in Sussex became covered in a large amount of "super suds".
• "FBI EVIDENCE NG": Reports on a judge acquitting two Conscientious Objectors based on the violation of their constitutional rights by FBI reports.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of DOUBT include the intersection of science and the unexplained, the value of imagination, and the reporting of peculiar and anomalous events from around the globe. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, presenting unusual news items without necessarily endorsing them, but inviting readers to consider them within a Fortean framework. There is a consistent skepticism towards official explanations and a willingness to explore unconventional possibilities. The magazine seems to champion independent thought and the reporting of facts that might be overlooked or dismissed by mainstream media.

The inclusion of numerous short, disparate news items, often sourced from various newspapers, suggests an effort to catalog and present a wide range of curious occurrences, fostering a sense of wonder and encouraging readers to look beyond the ordinary.

This issue of DOUBT, identified as number 187, features a provocative cover headline, "HEIL WELTBILD!", referencing a German magazine's alleged new decision regarding the Lindbergh baby case. The issue is published by The Fortean Society and contains a significant amount of material related to anomalous phenomena and speculative theories.

Heil Weltbild!

The cover story, "HEIL WELTBILD!", discusses a statement from Hy Gardner, a columnist for the Hertrib sez, dated October 24, 1952. Gardner notes that the German magazine Weltbild has reportedly decided that Bruno Hauptmann was not responsible for the kidnapping and murder of the Lindbergh baby. The author of this section agrees with Weltbild's stance, stating that "YS" has held this opinion for some time and that the Society has data on the case, though there's no hurry to publish it since Hauptmann and his prosecutor, Damon Runyon, are deceased.

Atlantis Letter

A substantial portion of the magazine is dedicated to the "ATLANTIS LETTER," a correspondence from "YS" to Boris Rachewiltz, intended to save Rachewiltz time by presenting a new hypothesis about Atlantis and Earth's history. The author critiques two basic misconceptions about Earth: that it has always been a ball of roughly the same size and shape, and that it has a crust over a quasi-liquid center. Instead, "YS" proposes that prehistoric Earth was much smaller, possibly wholly solid or a lump of ice, and grew by accretion like a crystal. This growth process, described as orderly and alternating between spherical and cubical shapes, is linked to Thayer's Hypothesis of Growth and explains the mystical significance of the number seven. The author suggests that Earth was once "flat, on six sides," which would explain "flat-earth" theories and the "Four corners of the earth." The letter also posits that the current continents were once fitted together, using the Isthmus of Panama as a hinge to demonstrate how South America could align with Mexico, and Chile with California, and so on to Alaska. This configuration, it is argued, would eliminate the need for theories like "floating continents" and explain the similarity between Aztec-Egypto cultures. The "flood" is reinterpreted as a collective memory of the cataclysm that tore the Earth apart during a recent "hatching" of this "crystal-egg," and the author warns that "It will happen again."

Identical Prints

This section briefly reports on the identical fingerprints of twin brothers David and Walter Massengale of Lamesa, Texas, as identified by Lubbock, Texas police. The report is attributed to Stars & Stripes, Korea, August 10, 1952, and noted by Cr. Von Schamber.

Joquel Publishes

This segment announces the publication of "The Challenge of Space" by Arthur Louis Joquel II, a member and lecturer on Forteana. The book, priced at $4.00, covers topics from "In the Beginning" to "The Evolution of Tomorrow," including "Our Atlantian Heritage" and "The Missing Years in the Life of Jesus." The author recommends the book as a "smattering" of "off-trail studies" and suggests readers buy a copy.

More Notes of Charles Fort

This is the beginning of a chronological transcription of Charles Fort's manuscript notes, starting from 1800 AD. The notes are presented from the MSS notes of Charles Fort, with the current installment covering events from May 1865 to March 1866. The material is drawn from 32 boxes of notes, divided into numbered (non-human phenomena) and lettered (personal records) series. The transcription alternates between these series to maintain chronological order. The notes detail numerous anomalous events, including:

• May 1865: Dust obscured the sun at Agra, followed by thunder; dust and darkness with rain in Delhi and Nowgong; darkness and locusts over Hyderabad; a meteorite at Hacienda de Bocas, Mexico; and a strange event related to Mollie Fancher.
• June 1865: Reports of unusual wasp absence in England, with a corresponding increase in flies and midges in some areas.
• July-August 1865: Numerous meteors observed, particularly around Hawkhurst, Kent, with some noted as "directed from Formalhault." Severe shocks at sea were reported by ship captains.
• August 1865: A large sunspot and rapid changes on its surface were observed. Towns in Louisiana were destroyed by cloud bursts. Heavy rain and swarms of gnats/midges were reported in Hawick, Scotland.
• October 1865: A "detonating meteor" was observed in England. A large sunspot was central on the 28th.
• November 1865: Sunspots were observed. A "smart shock of earthquake" occurred in Dacca, India. A large earthquake affected San Francisco.
• December 1865: A "dry fog" was noted. A large meteor was seen near Aube, France. A "cometic-looking object" was observed.
• January 1866: Several earthquakes occurred at Santorin. A "detonating meteor" was seen near Aube, France. A "great fall in temperature" was noted in Mexico. A "large meteor" was seen in Southern England. A cloud phenomenon was reported in Louisiana.
• February 1866: Flames were seen at Santorin. A "met" (meteor) was observed near Torquay, England. A "superb aurora" was seen between Northeast and Northwest Massachusetts.
• March 1866: A "haunted house" in Philadelphia was reported. A "cometic-looking object" was observed. A "dry fog" was noted. A "detonating meteor" was observed in Bedfordshire, England.

Advertisements and Society Information

The back pages contain advertisements for books and publications. These include:

• A reprint of "Order Glacial Period and Drayson's Hypothesis" by John Millis for $1.00.
• A book titled "America NEEDS Indians" by the author, priced at $7.00.
• Information about "FREETHOUGHT — ATHEISM" published by Progressive World, offering membership and subscription for $3.00 monthly.
• A book by Chakotin titled "RAPE OF THE MASSES" for $2.50, available from The Fortean Society.
• A collection of "The Books of Charles Fort" (4 volumes in 1, 1151 pages, indexed) for $6.00, including "The Book of the Damned," "New Lands," and "Wild Talents," with an introduction by Tiffany Thayer.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the questioning of established scientific and historical narratives, the exploration of anomalous phenomena, and the promotion of speculative hypotheses. The editorial stance, as represented by "YS" and the content of DOUBT, is one of skepticism towards conventional explanations and an openness to unconventional theories, particularly concerning Earth's history, ancient civilizations like Atlantis, and unexplained aerial and terrestrial events. The extensive cataloging of meteors and earthquakes by Charles Fort underscores a commitment to documenting unusual occurrences, suggesting a belief that these events, when collected and analyzed, may reveal patterns or truths not recognized by mainstream science.